What's in a Name?
by PikaScootaloo
Summary: To everyone, she is Rosa, defeater of Neo Team Plasma. But to her, she is someone entirely different. Someone that should have been dead.


It had been much too long since she was last at the entrance. Since she'd been in Iccirus, for that matter. Her eyes fixed on the thicket of tree before her, she took a step forward.

The she stepped back.

She mentally chided herself. If she wanted to put an end to this, she had to go through the trees and go up the tower ahead. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. One way or another, she'd force herself to take those few steps that'd make her resolution absolute.

She took a step forward.

Then back.

She sighed. This would take longer than she thought.

Coming from what had to be the worst time, a boyish voice hollered out from behind. "Hey! Rosa!"

Of course. Nate. She turned, and her suspicions were confirmed. Running up to her was the boy with baggy shorts and a mullet twice the size as a normal one she had be, more or less, forced to be acquainted with. But that didn't mean that it was bad. If anything, Nate would be the only person she'd miss.

"Nate, hi!" she said, putting on a cheery farce.

Stopping in front of her once he was done running, Nate smiled back. Though, his was genuine. Rosa's was not. "So, what brings you here?"

She opened her mouth to speak, though was cut off by Nate. "Oh, no, wait, don't tell me! Let me guess, you were trying to challenge the Iccirus Gym? You know that gym hasn't been open in three years."

"N—"

"Then again, we both already have eight badges. Wouldn't make sense to get anymore," he rambled on. Rosa rolled her eyes. Nate could be tiresome at times. Although, she was thankful for him doing that. That meant that she didn't have to explain the truth to him. Leave him blissfully ignorant, she decided. It would be better in the long run.

Suddenly, Nate stopped talking. He stared at her intently. "Hey, are you alright?"

Rosa's eyes widened. Deep in thought, she had let her cheerful demeanor crack, showing a piece of the hollowness she felt within. She regained it quickly, adding a bit of a quizzical expression. "What are you talking about?"

His eyes narrowed. "I must be mistaken..." But he didn't take his eyes off her.

She shrugged, as if she were passing off the situation. "Well Nate, I must be going." Rosa turned to leave, but was stopped by Nate's hand being placed on her shoulder.

"Rosa, really, is there anything wrong?" he asked.

"Nope, nothing!" said Rosa, her tone with false glee.

"Are you _sure_?"

Her intolerance was starting to seep through her facade. "Yes, Nate, I am."

He raised an eyebrow. "_Sure_ you're sure?"

"_Nate,_" she said, glaring at him. Remembering that, if all went as planned, this would be the last conversation she'd ever have with him, her expression softened.

"Nate... Listen, I..." She sighed, giving up on trying an explanation. "Look, just don't follow me."

She could feel his reluctance, as his hand on her shoulder didn't feel as heavy as before. Finally, he accepted and let go of her, moving a few steps back.

"Please be careful..." he pleaded. Rosa could see the fragility in his eyes. It was clear that, if she did anything dire, Nate would be broken completely. But she was planning on doing exactly that.

"Will do," she lied, heading towards the opening. She took one last look as her innocent, mullet-headed friend, then left for the tower.

* * *

It was quiet. Too quiet for Rosa's tastes. She was so accustomed to the barrage of wild Pokemon battles, not to mention that it was something that she fully welcomed. More battles meant less time dwelling on her thoughts, which she just wanted to be rid of. The lack of wild Pokemon, though, was probably because they knew that Rosa, strangely, had no Pokeballs with her. Not in her party, not any empty ones in her bag... None.

Her thoughts ran rampant as she ascended the tower. With each passing step, she began to grow more doubtful of what she was about to do once she reached the top.

_What if they miss me...?_ she thought sullenly.

_There is no 'they',_ said another portion of her. _Unless you mean for Rosa. In which case, that's only Nate that will miss her._

She made it to the second floor, after getting over some inconveniently placed fallen pillars that had blocked her way.

_But what about the others from... from before?_

_They already think you're dead._

The next few floors seemed strangely... empty. Then again, that was in comparison to when Team Plasma stormed through it three years prior.

_This could break Nate's heart._

_He's already broken._

By the time she made it to the floor with the ledges she had to hop across, she was already tired. But she had to keep going. One way or another, she'd make it to the top. And once she was at the top, the only way to go would be down.

_Maybe... Maybe I can live again, just as Rosa._

_No. Never,_ her inner voice pressed on. _Rosa was never born. Therefore, Rosa should not exist._

When the wind started whipping the strands of ribbon-like hair behind her head, Rosa knew she had reached the top of the tower.

_...Isn't that right, Hilda?_

"Hilda is dead," she murmured to herself. "Just as I should have been."

The large, gaping hole at the other end of the room brought up fond yet melancholic memories. A sense of nostalgia, almost. But those were memories that she could do away with.

Her feet grew heavier with each passing step, as if they knew the full severity of the situation and were trying in vain to stop her. Nothing would stop her. Nothing.

Rosa stopped, only five steps away from her end. The wind was battering and howling louder still, forcing her to raise her arm to her face.

The scenery was... breathtaking. Absolutely breathtaking. The clouds were spread evenly about, not too wispy, not too puffy. It must have been late, for the sun could be seen halfway under the clouds, creating the illusion of twilight. Such beauty. This would be the perfect way to die.

Then, all was silent. The wind stopped suddenly, and Rosa slowly set her arms down.

A _very_ familiar voice rang about. "Roooosa!"

She turned, and she saw Nate enter the room. When he set sight on Rosa, he beamed brightly and ran towards her. "Rosa! Thank Arceus! I could have sworn you... would..." He slowed to a stop, now frowning.

For the first time in a long time, Rosa felt some remorse for what she was about to do. She could just see the mechanisms in the boy's mind reeling, trying in vain to come to the conclusion that wasn't the obvious one. Then, when he peered into the empty, soulless eyes that were Rosa's, his face twisted into an expression of horror.

"Ro... sa? You can't be... No, that's impossible." He waved his hand dismissively.

To prove just how serious she was, she took a step back. Only four paces separated her and her doom.

Nate's eyes widened, though he tried to mask it. "O-Okay buddy, good prank. You almost fooled me. Now let's get down from here, okay?"

She took another step back. Three paces remained.

"I'm not joking, Nate," Rosa said, making her voice monotonous. Her true feelings were not something she would express.

"But, I-I don't..." He set a hand to his forehead, though his eyes never left Rosa's. "...Why?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Why, you ask? I can't tell you."

"_Tauros shit!_" he snarled, then blinked. He shrank back, not wanting to provoke her any further. "I–I mean, why? Why can't you tell me?"

She didn't answer the question. She stepped back once more, now only two paces away. "If you didn't follow me, you wouldn't be witnissing this. It's your own fault."

Any calmness the boy had was gone, replaced with fury. "_My fault?!_ You're the one trying this stupid stunt!"

Rosa glared. "This isn't a stupid stunt."

"Then _why_ are you doing this?!" He took a few steps forward; thankfully, Rosa didn't take any back.

She narrowed her gaze, trying to decide whether to tell him or not. On one hand, it would leave any unanswered questions for him answered. On the other, she didn't trust him enough to keep the information under wraps. If word spread out that she was someone important who should have been dead a year ago, there'd be chaos. Or would there be?

"It's none of your concern," she said, deciding on not telling him.

"If it's making you, my best friend, do this, it _is_ my concern." His gaze remained determined.

"You are Rosa's best friend, not mine," she pointed out, then realized what she had said. No use now. She had to run with it. "And Rosa should have never existed in the first place."

Nate blinked, his expression turning into a questioning one. He cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?" Then he gasped. "Are you being possessed by a Cofagrigus? Fight it Rosa, fight it!"

She would have slapped her forehead if the situation wasn't so tense. "No, Nate. Rosa never existed. And her name must die as well."

"I still don't... I don't get it. Then what do I call you?"

"You don't call me anything," she told him. "To everyone, I died a year ago. And I was foolish to take up the identity of Rosa. I only did that to preserve the hope that I would see a few important people I used to know again. But now that I have..." She clenched her fists and shut her eyes. "It's not what... It's just..."

"Then... who _were_ you?"

Rosa opened her eyes and blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Who were you? You say you're not Rosa, and you're not who you were before, but... well, I want to know who you were."

She pursed her lips, unsure whether to say it or not. Then again, she told him everything else. It'd be stupid not to tell him. Sighing, she said, "I've been called many names."

She took another step back. Now, her heels weren't touching anything solid.

"But Hilda is how I began."

Nate only stared at her, long and hard. Then, he finally spoke. "Alright. But you know what? You're still Rosa to me."

"Pardon?"

"You may not have been born Rosa, but you're still Rosa all the same! Rosa's the one who helped me on my journey. Rosa's the one who single handedly defeated New Team Plasma. Rosa's... Well, Rosa is _you_."

She bit her lower lip. "Nate, that doesn't matter. There's nothing left for me here."

"But _I'm _here," he persisted. "And you can keep living as Rosa! Or even as Hilda! It won't matter! You're still you, and you'll, you'll still be alive. What ever you're going through and will go through, I'll help you in anyway I can, I _promise_."

He made his way in front of Rosa, and he held his hands over hers, cupping them in front of his chest.

"I promise..." he whispered.

For the first time in a long time, Rosa gave a genuine smile. One so bright, it brought a small, flickering flare in her eyes.

"I know you would." This was the first full truth she had ever given in her days as Rosa. And as Nate slowly took his hands off of hers, she made her decision.

Rosa stepped back, plunging into the clouds below.


End file.
